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Is it possible to live with no regrets?
Perhaps not completely. There will probably be those few things in life that you wished you would have done differently. Decisions. Actions. Spoken words. Relationships. Airbnb's you wished you wouldn't have rented (just seeing if you're still with me). And so on. But it is possible to live in freedom, because of Jesus! It's possible to look back after, to use my example, 20 years of marriage and boldly say, "God, you have been our refuge. Thank you for your faithfulness and grace, every step of the way." Here's a simple framework that we can (should) follow: 1) Repent and turn to God The greatest regret one can have is not surrendering to the Lord Jesus Christ. The saddest thing in the world is someone dying without knowing Jesus. If you're reading this today and are not born again, God is calling you to a new life! Reach out to us if you need help understanding what this Christian life is all about. For those who are saved, repentance is still a daily practice. It's a constant turning to the Father for strength and forgiveness. Acts 3:19 "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Isaiah 55:6-7 "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon." 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 2) Fear God, not man Living in fear of man leads to a life of anxiety and compromise. This often stems from people pleasing. People-pleasing is when you prioritize making others happy or gaining their approval over being true to your convictions or doing what is right. It often involves going along with what others want, even if it goes against your own values or needs. Here's an example that's close to home, being that I'm in the HR field: If you agree to work extra hours every time your boss asks, even when you're exhausted and need rest, because you fear disappointing them or losing their approval, that's people-pleasing. This does not mean that we do not seek to live in peace with people and in such a way that we have harmony and wellbeing in our daily relationships (at work, church, in society, etc.). It means we are clear in our communication and do not compromise our faith, values, morals, and so on. Expect that some people will be bothered when they see you choosing to live this way versus bending to every request. At the end of life, I will give an account to God, not man, for all that I've done. Galatians 1:10 "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." Colossians 3:23-24 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." 1 Thessalonians 2:4 "On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts." Proverbs 29:25 "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." 3) Mind your own business and live a quiet life This alone would solve a lot of problems in the world. Don't be quick to meddle in the business and life of others. It doesn't mean not to be caring, loving, and even involved. But stay free from drama, envy, unforgiveness, bitterness, and gossip (I'm sure there's much more you can add to the list). 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." Proverbs 17:27-28 "The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues." 1 Timothy 2:1-2 "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12 "We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat." Keep the Fire Burning, Danny  Our house has been a mess these last few days and weeks.
As we plan to move out of state, we have boxed up several of our belongings (you know, those temporary, earthly belongings that we all have...ones we will not hold on to forever) and the rest we plan to tackle very soon. It's bittersweet. We'll miss it here in Michigan but at the same time we're looking forward to this next stage in our life (and the warmer weather, year-round, will be nice too but, hey, I digress). The main lesson we've been teaching Levy & Seth during this transition is that we do not have a forever home on this earth. No matter how nice the city we live in, the house we have, the things we've gotten used to, even our family and friends, nothing is forever. Our eternal home is with God. This should not motivate us to live with fear or to be lazy. It should urge us to live holy and godly lives (see 2 Peter 3:11) and to make the most of every opportunity since the days are evil (see Ephesians 5:16). It might sound like a bit much to be telling our children that nothing is forever and to not get attached to things. It's not. Having lost my father at the end of last year, I can tell you with Biblical certainty, there's nothing more important than preparing for and desiring to be with Jesus. It should be so normal for the normal Christian to think this way. But we are so earthly minded. We don't think about death and eternity enough, and as a result, we are engulfed in activities that make us dumber and we love/like things that can't love or like us back. Jesus had no place to lay his head. He knew very well that He was here for a short time and had a mission (i.e., God's will) to fulfill. Do you and I? "Oh, that's Jesus", someone might be quick to say. Yes, that's Jesus. He is the only One we should be following! The patriarchs and matriarchs of the faith knew very well they were passerbys and sojourners on this earth. We're concerned with what style chandelier we will replace the dining room lighting with. In about 3 months time, Seth, our youngest, went from "No, I don't want to move. Never!", to "How many more days tati (daddy)? I'm so excited." If only we would have that same attitude of heart and say, "Jesus, how many more days? I'm so excited to be with you." Keep the fire burning, Danny  Inflation, the rise in prices over time (a simplified definition), is here and it probably won't go away anytime soon. What are you doing about it, besides perhaps complaining?
Inflation doesn't impact everyone the same way. For example, if you're working from home, you're not too concerned about gas prices. If you commute a lot and/or have multiple drivers & cars in the family, it's a different story. We are not the first generation to experience difficult, changing economic conditions, if we can even call it that! And as bad as things seem to be, they were worse. Here's an excerpt from MarketWatch for some perspective: "People who believe gasoline prices have never been so high are suffering from what economists call “the money illusion.” Simply put, this means our brains are fooling us into thinking we’ve never had it so bad, when actually the cost of driving a mile in your gas-powered vehicle is now lower than it was for most of the past century." Let's look at a few tried and true tips to help you stay ahead during these times and keep the big picture in mind... 1. Tackle debt If you have no debt, move on to the next tip. If you have debt, list it out in order of least to greatest. Pay it off incrementally (you know, the whole debt snowball effect). Even if things are tighter financially, it doesn't mean you have to stop the journey to being debt-free, you can simply adjust your allocations. WHY: When you practice living debt free even during inflation, the habit will stick and put you ahead financially, over time. 2. Look for a better job You don't need inflation to motivate you to get a better job but it sure does add some spark. Jobs are out there but they won't just drop in your lap. You will need to go out and search. For some, that can feel like a full time job. If you need help, let me know. Note, you can still be a grateful person and content with all you have but that doesn't mean you need to settle. This requires wisdom. If your current job is just not cutting it, cut it. See what else is out there and don't be afraid to change the career landscape a bit. WHY: It's is a candidate-driven market, at least for now. Employers know that they need to step things up if they want to attract and retain the right talent (as a tangible example, my latest job move was a 20% increase). If you haven't found a company willing to negotiate or meet your needs, keep looking. 3. Do side work or create a stream of passive income Every bit helps. Is there something you're good at that you can get paid for? For example, several years ago I gave private violin lessons in the evenings. Now that I think about it, the cash was great for gas! Now, when it comes to passive income, there's nothing 'passive' about it, at least not initially. Is there anything you can invest some of your time and money into, now, that can potentially increase your time (availability) and money, later? For example, a small rental property or a fixer upper. If that's not doable, what about offering remote administrative assistance to corporate executives? There are many professionals out there that need help with basic clerical/organizational tasks, all of which can be done remotely. Or what about a small franchise business that doesn't require a lot of money to get started? WHY: It's good that you have one main source of income but two or three or more are better. Your life situation will eventually change; get creative and don't put all your eggs in one basket. 4. Get rid of non-essentials (services, accounts, etc.) You know that binging is not good for you so why hold on to the streaming accounts (Netflix, Prime Video, etc.)? Your gym membership is probably also highly underutilized. Try something new: Workout at home, do outdoor activities, etc. And that food-in-a-box delivery service. Why!? Just get the items you need from the grocery store. The list of non-essential things you can cut out from your life is vast. The key is: D-I-S-C-I-P-L-I-N-E. WHY: It's a waste of time & money. Deep down, we all know it. Invest in things that matter in the long run and have a significant ROI. 5. Use cash For anyone that has been using cash for a while, this is a no-brainer. But for some, the impact of using cash is yet to be discovered. Daniela and I have a simple rule: If we can't pay cash for it, we probably don't need it. WHY: What is in your hand is easier to manage and control than what's in the cloud. Using cash is a proactive approach to money management. You're planning ahead and assigning where your money goes versus wondering where your money went. Keep the fire burning, Danny |
ALTARPRENEURwith Danny & Daniela Kovacs
WHYNo family is an island. Join us as we share candid discussions, Biblical advice & resources to help keep God at the center of your faith, family and career. MICROBLOGS
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